Magnetic Vehicle Body Panel Protector

ABSTRACT

The present invention provides a magnetic flexible and trimmable vehicle body panel protector sheet used to protect a vehicle body panel from scratches and abrasions to the body panel and finish. The protector comprises a magnetic sheet that adheres to a vehicle&#39;s metal body panel by magnetic force. The protector also comprises a magnetic sheet that is flexible to adapt to the contour of a vehicle body panel. The protector sheet is trimmable to adapt to the contour and fit around objects that may be affixed to the vehicle body panel, to ensure the entire magnetic surface of the protector adheres to a vehicle body panel.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a ferrous metal vehicle body panelprotector and more particularly to a flexible and trimmable magneticsheet applied to a ferrous metal vehicle body panel to protect the bodypanel and finish.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Pets that enjoy riding in vehicles are often seen with their paws, legsor feet protruding through an open vehicle window and resting on theedge of a vehicle door. Vehicle body panels are often scratched ormarked by pets that rest their extremities such as paws, legs or feetwith nails on a vehicle body panel while they are transported in thevehicle. Often dogs and other animals will place their paws, legs orfeet on a vehicle door panel through an open window and as a result ofthe movement of the paws, legs or feet on the door, the door and finishon the door may be scratched and marked. Dogs that ride in the bed of apickup track may rest their paws on the body panel surrounding thepickup truck bed and scratch or mark the body panels and finish.

People often rest their arms on a vehicle door panel by protruding theirarm through an open window. When a person is wearing a watch orjewellery, the watch or jewellery may scratch the door panel and finishresulting in damage to the vehicle. Also, the oils and sweat from aperson's arm can discolor and fade a vehicle body panels finish overtime.

Vehicle owners spend time and money on products to keep the appearanceof their vehicle aesthetically pleasing and retain the value of thevehicle. A vehicle body panel that has scratches and abrasions is notaesthetically pleasing and may require costly repairs to the vehiclebody panel and finish, and may drastically reduce the value of thevehicle.

A magnetic flexible and trimmable vehicle body panel protector that canadhere to the ferrous metal vehicle body panel without the need formechanical adhesion and that will adhere to a vehicle body panel whilethe vehicle travels at highway speed is thus highly desirable.

Therefore, it is an objective of the invention to provide a ferrousmetal vehicle body panel protector to mitigate and obviate the problemsmentioned above.

SUMMARY AND OBJECTIVES OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a magnetic sheet that can adhere to avehicle's ferrous metal body panel by magnetic force and stay adhered tothe vehicle body panel at highway speed.

An objective of the present invention is to provide a magnetic sheetprotector that is flexible and will conform to the contours of a vehiclebody panel to protect the vehicle body panel from scratches andabrasions caused by animals and humans.

Another objective of the protector is to be trimmable to allow theprotector to be trimmed around objects that may protrude from thevehicle body panel, like a car door handle on a car door, thus allowingthe entire surface of the protector to adhere to the vehicle body so asnot to allow air to pass under the protector and disengage the protectorfrom the vehicle body panel while the vehicle is in motion.

A further objective of the protector is to provide a protector that canbe removed easily from the vehicle body panel to facilitate cleaning ofthe vehicle and protector.

A further objective of the protector is to protect the vehicle bodypanel's aesthetic appearance.

A further objective of the protector is to provide a non abrasivesurface for animals and humans to rest their paws, legs and feet and inthe case of humans, their arms.

A further objective of the protector is to protect the vehicle bodypanel's finish.

A further objective of the protector is to reduce the aerodynamic dragof the protector when applied to a vehicle, by use of rounded corners.

A further objective of the protector is to provide a surface for theapplication of a decorative visual design, graphic image and companybrand or logo.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

An embodiment of the present invention and how it may be put intoeffect, by way of example, can be better understood by referring to theaccompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective front view showing the protector in accordancewith the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a front view showing the protector in accordance with thepresent invention;

FIG. 3 is a back view showing the protector in accordance with thepresent invention;

FIG. 4 is a top view showing the protector in accordance with thepresent invention;

FIG. 5 is a bottom view showing the protector in accordance with thepresent invention;

FIG. 6 is a left side view showing the protector in accordance with thepresent invention;

FIG. 7 is a right side view showing the protector in accordance with thepresent invention;

FIG. 8 is a detailed perspective front view showing one embodiment ofthe present invention, the protector with rounded corners and adecorative visual design, company logo and brand applied.

FIG. 9 is a detailed perspective front view showing another embodimentof the present invention, the protector applied to a vehicle door andtrimmed to conform to the contour of the car door and to fit around thecar door handle.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

With reference to FIG. 1, an embodiment of the present invention ispreferably comprised of a rectangular shaped single sheet of magnetizedflexible substrate with a vinyl covering and of sufficient magneticforce to adhere to a vehicle's ferrous metal body panel and remainadhered to the body panel at highway speeds, thus creating a protectorfor the vehicle body panel. This protector would be removable,repositionable and replaceable, to facilitate cleaning of the vehiclebody panel and the protector, and to facilitate storage of the protectorwhen protection of the vehicle body panel is not required.

With reference to FIG. 8, the protector (20) is decorated with apreferred example of a visual design (21) to enhance the aestheticappeal and appearance of the protector. To provide such a layer ofvisual design any suitable technique may be used such as digitalprinting, laser printing, ink-jet printing, offset printing, labelprinting, or colored laminates can be applied to the protector, and invarious forms of visual design to match or complement the vehicle bodypanel. The visual design can cover any portion of the protectordepending on the desired aesthetic affect.

With reference to FIG. 8, a logo design (22) or company name or brand(23) may be applied to the protector using any suitable technique suchas digital printing, laser printing, ink-jet printing, offset printing,label printing, or by applying colored laminates.

With reference to FIG. 8, the protector (20) has rounded corners (24) toreduce the aerodynamic drag of the protector and to ensure the protectordoes not separate from the vehicle's ferrous metal body panel at highwayspeed.

With reference to FIG. 9, the protector (20) is adhered by magneticforce to a vehicle's ferrous metal body panel (25), in this example acar door, and directly below the window opening of the car door, toprotect the car door from scratches and abrasions caused by animal orhuman extremities protruding through the open car door window, andresting in the car door surface.

With reference to FIG. 8, the protector (20) is also trimmed to fitaround an object protruding from the vehicle body panel, in this examplea car door handle (26), by removing a section of the protector (27),represented by the shape outlined by the dotted line. This section ofthe protector (27) may be removed by means of die cutting or trimmingwith a suitable utility knife or shears and in such a way as to maintainrounded corners.

With respect to the foregoing and as described in the embodiments andillustrated above, it is to be realized that numerous variations andmodifications may be effected by those skilled in the art withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the invention. It is alsounderstood that while the construction and operation has been describedabove, it is illustrative only of the principles of the invention andnot a definition of the invention.

What is claimed is:
 1. A magnetic attachable and removable protector fortemporary installation to a vehicle body panel to protect said vehiclebody panel from scratches and abrasions, comprising: (a) a single sheetof substrate having; (b) rounded corners; (c) a printable surface; (d) acomposition suitable for trimming;
 2. The protector of claim 1, whereinthe single sheet of substrate is magnetized to adhere to a ferrous metalvehicle body panel by magnetic force.
 3. The protector of claim 2,wherein the single sheet of magnetized substrate is flexible and pliableto adhere to the contour of a ferrous metal vehicle body panel bymagnetic force.
 4. The protector of claim 3, wherein the corners of themagnetized flexible substrate are rounded to reduce aerodynamic drag. 5.The protector of claim 4, wherein the magnetic force and aerodynamicproperties are sufficient to adhere to a vehicle body panel at highwayspeed.
 6. The protector of claim 1, wherein the surface can have avisual design, company name, brand and logo applied to it by a suitabletechnique such as digital printing, laser printing, ink-jet printing,offset printing, label printing, or colored laminates.
 7. The protectorof claim 1, wherein the composition of the substrate is suitable fortrimming with a utility knife or shears.